Countywide : Donation Stations Open at Caltrans Lots

The California Department of Transportation and Goodwill Industries have signed an agreement that has allowed Goodwill to set up donation stations at three Caltrans park-and-ride lots.

While the attendant receives donations, he also acts as a security attendant, protecting the parked cars from theft or vandalism.

Goodwill has also set up donation stations at the park-and-ride lots in Fullerton at the Riverside Freeway at Magnolia Avenue, at Junipero Serra Road near Interstate 5 in San Juan Capistrano, and at Tustin Street and Lincoln Avenue off the Costa Mesa Freeway. The arrangement allows Goodwill to expand the number of its donation stations, especially during the holidays when contributions are normally heavy.

The donation stations are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Goodwill donation station coordinator Chuck Strozier said the program may have prevented a possible car theft at the Fullerton facility last month when the presence of the attendant caused a carload of suspicious-looking people to leave the lot after cruising through it.

Strozier said the lots are easy targets for vandals and car thieves and there have been reports of break-ins in the past.

John Hotchkiss, Caltrans right-of-way manager, said the attendant-donation station was patterned after those used in other parts of the state to improve security at state-owned lots.

The program has been a crime deterrent, and that by “providing safer, more secure park-and-ride facilities, we’re hoping that the use of the lots will increase, resulting in more ride-sharing and less crowded freeways,” Hotchkiss said.

Goodwill Industries pays Caltrans $1 a year to lease each site. If the program is successful, it will be expanded as more lots are constructed, Hotchkiss said.

There are a total of 208 parking spaces at Caltrans’ three park-and-ride lots in Orange County. In addition, there are 32 shared-use lots, such as those at shopping centers and church parking areas or at lots owned by the Orange County Transportation Authority.